Biome

Excitingly, new research is finding that the placenta may actually play a significant role in microbiome development of children.

The intestinal microbial communities play critical roles in various aspects of body function of the host. Prebiotics, such as dietary fiber, can affect health of the host by altering the composition of intestinal microbiota. Although brown seaweed Laminaria japonica is rich in dietary fiber, studies on its prebiotic potential are quite rare. In this study, basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with dried L. japonica (DLJ), heat-treated dried L. japonica (HLJ), or heated dried L. japonica with added fructooligosaccharide (FHLJ) was fed to rats for 16 weeks. Serum concentrations of IgG, triglyceride, and cholesterol were measured. In addition, the intestinal microbiota composition was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. As compared to the control group, DLJ, HLJ, and FHLJ groups showed significantly higher serum IgG concentration, but had lower weight gain and serum triglyceride concentration. Moreover, DLJ, HLJ, and FHLJ groups showed lower Fimicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio when compared with the control group. As compared with the control group, obesity-associated bacterial genera (Allobaculum, Turicibacter, Coprobacillus, Mollicute, and Oscilibacter), and the genera with pathogenic potentials (Mollicute, Bacteroides, Clostridium, Escherichia, and Prevotella) decreased while leanness-associated genera (Alistipes, Bacteroides, and Prevotella), and lactic acid bacterial genera (Subdoligranulum, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Bifid...

The nutraceutical properties of Aloe vera have been attributed to a glucomannan known as acemannan. Recently information has been published about the presence of fructans in Aloe vera but there are no publications about acemannan and fructans as prebiotic compounds. This study investigated in vitro the prebiotic properties of these polysaccharides. Our results demonstrated that fructans from Aloe vera induced bacterial growth better than inulin (commercial FOS). Acemannan stimulated bacterial growth less than fructans, and as much as commercial FOS. Using qPCR to study the bacterial population of human feces fermented in a bioreactor simulating colon conditions, we found that fructans induce an increase in the population of Bifidobacterium spp. Fructans produced greater amounts of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), while the branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA) did not increase with these polysaccharides. Acemannan increased significantly acetate concentrations. Therefore, both Aloe vera polysaccharides have prebiotic potentials.

The gut microbiome is an important modulator of host gene expression, impacting important functions such as the innate immune response. Recent evidence suggests that the inter-domain communication between the gut microbiome and host may in part occur via microRNAs (small, non-coding RNA molecules) which are often differentially expressed in the presence of bacteria and can even be released and taken up by bacteria. The role of microRNAs in microbiome–host communication in intestinal diseases is not fully understood, particularly in diseases impacted by exposure to environmental toxicants. Here, we review the present knowledge in the areas of microbiome and microRNA expression-based communication, microbiome and intestinal disease relationships, and microRNA expression responses to intestinal diseases. We also examine potential links between host microRNA–microbiota communication and exposure to environmental toxicants by reviewing connections between (i) toxicants and microRNA expression, (ii) toxicants and gut diseases, and (iii) toxicants and the gut microbiome. Future multidisciplinary research in this area is needed to uncover these interactions with the potential to impact how gut-microbiome associated diseases [e.g., inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and many others] are managed.

Antibiotic treatment, as an important therapeutic intervention, can cause damage to the host microbiome and the intestinal mucosal barrier. In order to find a way to alleviate the side effects of antibiotics, the present study investigated the effects of fucoidan (ANP) isolated from Ascophyllum nodosum on gu

Introduction Changes in the intestinal bacterial composition seem to play a major role in the pathogenesis and in the clinical course of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which consist of Crohn’s disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC). Mutations in the NOD2 gene are the most important genetic risk factors for the development of CD. In this study, the association between mucosal biopsies and the mucosa-associated bacterial composition from CD and UC patients regarding their genetic risk factors (mutations in the NOD2 gene), their endoscopic activity, and their medical therapy (TNF-α blocking therapy) was examined. Material and methods Seventy biopsies from routine colonoscopies from 33 IBD patients (26 CD and 7 UC) were obtained. Disease activity and clinical characteristics were assessed. Seven different bacterial strains (Bacteroides fragilis, Escherichia coli, Prevotella melaninogenica, Clostridium coccoides, Clostridium difficile, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii) were quantified using real-time PCR. NOD2 genotyping from patients with CD was performed. Results Five of the 24 patients were positive for at least one mutation in the NOD2 gene. The bacterial composition was different in CD compared to UC, in macroscopic healthy compared to macroscopic inflamed biopsies, in NOD2 mutated compared to NOD2 wildtype patients, and in patients receiving TNF-α blocking therapy compared to patients without this treatment. Conclusion This study further characterizes the mucosa-associated bacteria in IBD patients. Different clinical situations lead to an altered mucosa-associated bacterial composition. The analyzed bacteria could be promising targets for cost-effective surveillance or therapies in IBD patients.

Spinal cord injury alters the type of bacteria living in the gut and that these changes can exacerbate the extent of neurological damage and impair recovery of function, new research suggests. The study demonstrates that counteracting these changes with probiotics could aid patients’ recovery from spinal cord injuries.

A single-application bioengineered gel, squirted in the ear canal, could deliver a full course of antibiotic therapy for middle ear infections, making treatment of this common childhood illness much easier and potentially safer, a preclinical study finds.

Seven dates a day for three weeks are put to the test in a randomized controlled trial. Subscribe to NutritionFacts.org’s free newsletter to receive our B12 infographic that covers the latest research takeaways and Dr. Greger’s updated recommendations: https://nutritionfacts.org/subscribe/ Here’s those remarkable labor and delivery videos: Best Food for Late Pregnancy (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-food-for-late-pregnancy) and Best Food for Labor and Delivery (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-food-for-labor-and-delivery). And here’s some recipes! Date Syrup (https://nutritionfacts.org/recipe/date-syrup/) and a Balsamic Date Glaze (https://nutritionfacts.org/recipe/balsamic-date-glaze/). But what about all the sugar in dates? See: If Fructose is Bad, What About Fruit? (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/if-fructose-is-bad-what-about-fruit/). The other video I referenced to is Stool pH and Colon Cancer (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/stool-ph-and-colon-cancer/). I did a month-long video series on mammograms. What about colonoscopies? See: Should We All Get Colonoscopies Starting at Age 50? (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/should-we-all-get-colonoscopies-starting-at-age-50). Have a question about this video? Leave it in the comment section at http://nutritionfacts.org/video/benefit-of-dates-for-colon-health and someone on the NutritionFacts.org team will try to answer it. Want to get a list of links to all the scientific sources used in this video? Click on Sources Cited at http://nutritionfacts.org/video/benefit-of-dates-for-colon-health. You’ll also find a transcript and acknowledgments for the video, my blog and speaking tour schedule, and an easy way to search (by translated language even) through our videos spanning more than 2,000 health topics. If you’d rather watch these videos on YouTube, subscribe to my YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=nutritionfactsorg Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution! -Michael Greger, MD FACLM Captions for this video are available in several languages. To find yours, click on the settings wheel on the lower-right of the video and then "Subtitles/CC." Do you have feedback about the translations in this video? Please share it here along with the title of the video and language: https://nutritionfacts.zendesk.com/hc/requests/new To view the subtitles in transcript format, click on the ellipsis button below the video, choose "Open transcript", and select the language you'd like to view them in. Image credit: ferumov / Adobe Stock Photos https://NutritionFacts.org • Subscribe: https://nutritionfacts.org/subscribe • Donate: https://nutritionfacts.org/donate • Podcast : https://nutritionfacts.org/audio • Facebook: www.facebook.com/NutritionFacts.org • Twitter: www.twitter.com/nutrition_facts • Instagram: www.instagram.com/nutrition_facts_org • Books (including the NEW How Not to Diet Cookbook): https://nutritionfacts.org/books • Shop: https://drgreger.org

Science continues to find the benefits a probiotic-rich diet can have for four key areas of health: your mood, gut health, brain health, and immune system.

Background: Since the description of the normal human gut microbiome in healthy individuals using broad-range polymerase chain reaction, there has been great advancement in the techniques used to conduct microbiome research and applications of this research across health, gastrointestinal diseases, and nongastrointestinal diseases. Summary and Key

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of Tuberculosis (TB), infects one third of the world's population and causes substantial mortality worldwide. In its shortest format, treatment of TB requires six months of multidrug therapy with a mixture of broad spectrum and mycobacterial specific antibiotics …

The best prebiotics and probiotics come from these foods. Nurture your microbiome and good gut bacteria.

Scientists have developed a pioneering new treatment to prevent bacterial skin infections, which could be used in the battle against 'superbugs', such as MRSA.

New research is helping to tease out the mechanics of how the gut microbiome communicates with the cells of its host to switch genes on and off. The upshot of the study, another indictment of the so-called Western diet (high in saturated fats, sugar and red meat), reveals how the metabolites produced by the bacteria in the stomach chemically communicate with cells, including cells far beyond the colon, to dictate gene expression and health in its host.

Register for Glutenology - The Ultimate Master Class on Going Gluten Free https://www.glutenfreesociety.org/masterclass/ Antibiotics can be a controversial topic. While they can help tremendously for some specific infections in the body, they can also wreak havoc in the gut and beyond when overused or misused...But how far can their damage go? Can they really increase the risk of developing gluten sensitivity and celiac disease? The short answer is yes, but it’s not that simple. To understand the relationship between the two, we first need to take a look at how antibiotics impact the gut and how this can lead to complications and allergies down the road. 00:00 - Introduction to Antibiotics and Your Gut 01:00 - CDC Antibiotic Statistics 06:00 - Is it Viral, Bacterial, or Fungal? 12:00 - Impact of Antibiotics on the Gut 17:00 - Dysbiosis: Bacterial Imbalances 27:00 - Role of the Gut Microbiota 35:00 - Finding the right Probiotic 37:00 - Live Q&A To connect with Dr. Osborne visit: On the web: https://drpeterosborne.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoctorPeterO... Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/docosborne/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drosborne Twitter: https://twitter.com/glutenology *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This video is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. It is strictly intended for educational purposes only. Additionally, this information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician. Dr. Osborne is not a medical doctor. He does not treat or diagnose disease. He offers nutritional support to people seeking an alternative from traditional medicine. Dr. Osborne is licensed with the Pastoral Medical Association.

A new review looks at the evidence behind the effectiveness of complementary or alternative therapies-including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, fiber, and herbal medicinal products-for the treatment of bowel disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional constipation, and ulcerative colitis.

A connection between the bacteria living in the gut and immunological disorders such as multiple sclerosis have long been suspected, but for the first time, researchers have detected clear evidence of changes that tie the two together. Investigators have found that people with multiple sclerosis have different patterns of gut microorganisms than those of their healthy counterparts. In addition, patients receiving treatment for MS have different patterns than untreated patients.

In a recent study, children with multiple sclerosis had differences in the abundance of specific gut bacteria than children without the disease. Certain types of bacteria were either more or less abundant in children with multiple sclerosis. In particular, there was an association between multiple sclerosis and an increase in gut bacteria that have been linked to inflammation and a decrease in gut bacteria that are considered anti-inflammatory.